F. KiDD AND 0. West 107 



The results of Kedzie's(i4) experiments quoted by Duggar, in which 

 the seeds used are characterised as having been harvested in the "milky 

 juice," "dough," "full yellow ripe," and "dead ripe" stages respectively^, 

 showed the marked superiority of the ripe seed as compared with the 

 unripe (Table X), and indicated that a slight advantage accrued 

 from the use of the yellow ripe as compared with the use of the dead 

 ripe seed, the yield being 30 bushels per acre from the former as against 

 28 bushels per acre from the latter. 



Table X. 



Stage of ripeness at which Yield per acre 



the seed was harvested (in bushels) 



Milky juice stage 1 1 



Dough stage 25 



Full yellow ripe stage 30 



Dead ripe stage 28 



GofF(ii) in an experiment with Indian Corn extending over a period 

 of five years found that the largest yields of corn and stalk were obtained 

 from corn gathered slightly immature, and Tracy (23) bears this out in 

 the case of Sweet Corn in a paper, dealing with the production of vege- 

 table seeds, in which the conclusion is reached that for seed purposes the 

 crop should be harvested as soon as the grain has fully passed into the 

 dough condition. Gofi found that the use of very immature seed gave 

 smaller yields of corn and stalks, but slightly earlier maturity than 

 fully mature seed. 



The scanty results which have been recorded in the case of plants 

 other than cereals with reference to the influence upon subsequent 

 growth and yield of the use of immature seeds as compared with fully 

 ripe seeds, appear to bear out the same general conclusions. Imma- 

 ture seeds germinate badly (probably due to changes during storage). 

 They give rise to seedlings which may be in the first place less vigorous 

 than those produced from mature seeds. But the resulting plants 

 at a later stage differ very slightly from those arising from mature seed. 

 The experiments of Arthur (i) and of GofE(ii) with Tomatoes, in which 

 a closer analysis of the growth and yield was made than in the case of 

 cereals, indicate that the use of immature seed leads to an increase of 

 reproductive parts in proportion to the vegetative parts. A greater 

 number of fruits and seeds, but individually smaller and more rapidly 

 ripening, were borne on the plants from immature seed. 



1 Janson(13) records in detail the changes which take place in the seed-reserves of 

 oats and barley at different stages of maturity. 



